Football
Glenn Price, Liverpool correspondent 8y

Jurgen Klopp hails 'professional' Liverpool victory to open EFL Cup

BURTON UPON TRENT, England -- Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hailed the "professional" performance of his side in Tuesday night's 5-0 victory over Burton Albion.

The Reds avoided a potential banana skin in the second round of the EFL Cup against Nigel Clough's Championship outfit thanks to contributions on the scoresheet from Divock Origi, Roberto Firmino, an own goal from Tom Naylor and a Daniel Sturridge brace.

Klopp's side responded well to Saturday's abject 2-0 defeat to Burnley on the weekend with a convincing display for all to see at the Pirelli Stadium.

"In the end, it was not as difficult as we could have imagined or expected" Klopp said at news conference afterwards. "I think it was the most difficult draw [in the second round].

"It was possible a sensation could have been there, so we were really serious. We were very professional and we did our job, so it was good.

"When I saw the [Burnley] game again, there were a few situations where we missed a little sharpness, but it is unbelievable how good our build-up, especially how our style of play was in Burnley, that with one more pass we are 15 times completely free in the box, but in the game we didn't see it.

"We needed to use this, that's what we did and today it was better. We were there where we had to be. We were on the line, we had possession of the ball and bodies in the box.

"The first two goals were like this -- one was a transition, the other one after a second ball. So, it was all good. Even in games you've lost, you have to use things if there are a few things that you can."

The only worrying aspect for Klopp on Tuesday night was that Origi and Emre Can limped off in the second half.

However, the Liverpool boss revealed that Origi's injury was not serious, and hoped it was a similar case with his controlling midfielder.

"Divock obviously had a cramp. And Emre, I have no idea," Klopp contiuned. "He had a little pain in his ankle without any touch -- I couldn't see any contact.

"But it is not that serious. It's not that big [of a] pain anymore [for him], but it's the ankle he had problems with at the end of last season, so he's a little bit worried. Hopefully it's nothing too serious."

Meanwhile, Klopp remained tight lipped on the future of defender Mamadou Sakho after reports emerged that the club were willing to let the central defender depart Anfield on loan, having endured a difficult period of late.

"I'm happy that I don't talk about things like this," Klopp said. "Everybody who needs to be informed by this will be informed by this -- and is informed by this.

"There are no secrets with the important people, I would say. There's no else to say about this at the moment."

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